Determination of horizontal constraints in subsoil

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a method of determining present-day horizontal stresses in geological formations. The method comprises dividing the received well data in a plurality of contiguous sets of data i, a set of data For each set of data i in the plurality of sets of data, determining, at least parameters P i , a pressure in subsoil i, b i , a Biot coefficient i, ν i , a Poisson&#39;s ratio i, σ ν   i , a vertical constraints in subsoil i, E i , a Young&#39;s modulus i, α i , a thermal expansion coefficient, and T i , and a subsoil temperature. The method further comprises, i, computing and outputting the horizontal constraints.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a National Phase entry of PCT Application No. PCT/IB2015/000853, filed Apr. 27, 2015, said application being hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the determination of in situ horizontal stresses in different geological formations using well log data.

The approaches described in this section could be pursued, but are not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated herein, the approaches described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section. Furthermore, all embodiments are not necessarily intended to solve all or even any of the problems brought forward in this section.

Determining the orientation and the magnitude of in situ horizontal stress has many applications in petroleum engineering. Horizontal stress could be anisotropic due to tectonic stress. In this case, we have two components: the maximum horizontal stress (σ_(hmax)) and the minimum horizontal stress (σ_(hmin)).

During evaluation of a prospect, the vertical profile of horizontal stress is needed for estimation of the high of hydrocarbon column. In HPHT (high pressure & high temperature) prospect, horizontal stresses' model is used to assess various possible geomechanical hazards link to reservoir depletion: subsidence, cap rock integrity and casing integrity. In design of well architecture, and well integrity control during drilling, profiles of “frac” (hydraulic fracturing) gradient and the minimum mud weight (MMW) needed for different intervals are two critical parameters and are computed from in situ stress model. These two parameters impact greatly the cost of drilling.

To determine the vertical stress, it is possible to compute, for every current point inside a geological formation located a depth z₀, the weight of the overburden layers above the current point: σ_(ν)=∫₀ ^(z) ⁰ ρ(z). g dz (with g the gravitational constant, ρ(z) the density distribution of the overburden layers for points at depth z).

While density log data is absent, usually in shallow section, vertical stress can be derived from region over-burden gradient or a synthetic density distribution based on empirical porosity distribution started from ground surface (or seabed).

In the prior art, the horizontal stresses σ_(h) may be computed from the vertical stress σ_(ν) and coupled with pore pressure.

Therefore, the prior techniques use this following formula to determine the horizontal stress σ_(h) (without integration with respect to z):

$\sigma_{h} = {{bP} + {\frac{\nu}{1 - \nu}\left( {\sigma_{v} - {bP}} \right)} + {\frac{E\; \alpha}{1 - \nu}T}}$

where, E is Young's modulus, b is the Biot coefficient, ν is the Poisson's ratio, T is the temperature, α is the thermal expansion coefficient. This equation implies that the magnitude of horizontal stress is uniquely proportional to present-day rock's poroelastic parameters: b, E, α.

Actually, this formula of stress calculation is erroneous. The reason is following.

Assuming non lateral deformation, the poro-elasic compaction theory may assume that, for a given layer, an incremental its burial depth ΔZ induces an augmentation of vertical stress Δσ_(ν) and an increase of pore pressure ΔP, then provokes an increment of horizontal stress Δσ_(h), which is written as:

${\Delta \; \sigma_{h}} = {{b\; \Delta \; P} + {\frac{\nu}{1 - \nu}\left( {{\Delta \; \sigma_{v}} - {b\; \Delta \; P}} \right)}}$

Where b is the Biot coefficient, ν is the Poisson's ratio, ΔP is a pressure variation, the term

$\frac{\nu}{1 - \nu}\left( {{\Delta \; \sigma_{v}} - {b\; \Delta \; P}} \right)$

is the effective horizontal stress increment induced by the delta vertical effective stress.

With consideration of an increment of temperature with depth, the thermo-poro-elastic compaction incremental equation may be written as:

${\Delta \; \sigma_{h}} = {{b\; \Delta \; P} + {\frac{\nu}{1 - \nu}\left( {{\Delta \; \sigma_{v}} - {b\; \Delta \; P}} \right)} + {\frac{E\; \alpha}{1 - \nu}\Delta \; T}}$

where α is a rock thermal expansion coefficient.

Indeed, due to the fact that the horizontal stress is progressively increasing over the time when the layer is getting deeper, its poro-elastic parameters E, b, ν changed when the burial depth increases.

The poroelastic parameters of above formula may be determined from well logs like DTc, Rhob, NPhi, etc.

There is thus a need for a correct method for a determination of the horizontal constraints in subsoil.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a method of determination of horizontal constraints (or stresses) in subsoil, wherein the method comprises:

-   -   receiving well data of the subsoil;     -   dividing the well data in a plurality of contiguous sets of data         i, a set of data i being above a set of data i+1 in         corresponding subsoil;     -   for each set of data i in the plurality of sets of data,         determining, based on the set of data i, at least parameters:         -   P^(i), a pressure in subsoil corresponding to the set of             data i;         -   b^(i), a Biot coefficient corresponding to the set of data             i;         -   ν^(i), a Poisson's ratio corresponding to the set of data i;         -   σ_(ν) ^(i), a vertical constraints in subsoil corresponding             to the set of data i;         -   E^(i), a Young's modulus corresponding to the set of data i;         -   α^(i), a rock thermal expansion coefficient corresponding to             the set of data i;         -   T^(i), a temperature in subsoil corresponding to the set of             data i;     -   for each set of data i in the plurality of sets of data,         computing and outputting the horizontal constraints

$\sigma_{h}^{i} = {\sigma_{h}^{i - 1} + {b^{i}\left( {P^{i} - P^{i - 1}} \right)} + {\frac{\nu^{i}}{1 - \nu^{i}}\left( {\sigma_{v}^{i} - \sigma_{v}^{i - 1} - {biPi} - {Pi} - 1 + {{Ei}\; \alpha \; i\; 1} - {{{vi}\left( {{Ti} - {Ti} - 1} \right)}.}} \right.}}$

Therefore, it is possible to efficiently determine the horizontal stress/constraints in subsoil. The horizontal stress obtained is more consistent both from theoretical point view and from the feedback of several hundreds of wellbores geo-mechanical models provided by this method.

The well data of the subsoil may be known as “well log data”.

If tectonic stress is present in the investigated region, there may be the two principal stresses in the horizontal plane: the maximum horizontal stress (σ_(hmax)) and the minimum horizontal stress (σ_(hmin)). They can be determined, for instance, with two additional terms:

$\sigma_{hmax}^{i} = {\sigma_{h}^{i} + {\frac{E^{i}}{1 - \nu^{i^{2}}}ɛ_{{tec}\; 1}} + {\frac{E^{i}\upsilon^{i}}{1 - \nu^{i^{2}}}ɛ_{{tec}\; 2}}}$ $\sigma_{hmin}^{i} = {\sigma_{h}^{i} + {\frac{E^{i}\upsilon^{i}}{1 - \nu^{i^{2}}}ɛ_{{tec}\; 1}} + {\frac{E^{i}}{1 - \nu^{i^{2}}}ɛ_{{tec}\; 2}}}$

where ε_(tec1) and ε_(tec2) are receptively the tectonic strain in the direction of σ_(hmax) and σ_(hmin).

In a possible embodiment, the horizontal constraints may be computed according to the ascending order of i.

In addition, determining the parameters may comprise:

-   -   receiving the porosity value Φ in subsoil corresponding to the         set of data i, the proportion of clay V_(cl) in subsoil         corresponding to the set of data i, the proportion of calcite         V_(cal) in subsoil corresponding to the set of data i;     -   computing the aspect ratio of clay mineral (d/l) using an         empirical relationship:

$\frac{d}{l} = {\lambda \left( \frac{\Phi}{\kappa \; V_{cl}} \right)}^{n}$

in order to take into account the anisotropy of elastic properties of shaley rock.

where ϕ is the porosity, V_(cl) is clay content, λ, n and κ are three parameters.

A second aspect relates to a computer program product comprising a computer readable medium, having thereon a computer program comprising program instructions. The computer program is loadable into a data-processing unit and adapted to cause the data-processing unit to carry out the method described above when the computer program is run by the data-processing unit.

Other features and advantages of the method and apparatus disclosed herein will become apparent from the following description of non-limiting embodiments, with reference to the appended drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to similar elements and in which:

FIG. 1 is a flow chart describing a possible embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a possible embodiment for a device that enables the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

As indicated above, the formula below is incorrect:

$\sigma_{h} = {{bP} + {\frac{\nu}{1 - \nu}\left( {{\Delta \; \sigma_{v}} - {bP}} \right)} + {\frac{E\; \alpha}{1 - \nu}T}}$

The correct formula is not a simple integration with respect to z and should be written:

$\sigma_{h} = {{\int_{0}^{\tau}{{b(\tau)}\frac{\partial P}{\partial\tau}d\; \tau}} + {\int_{0}^{\tau}{\frac{\nu (\tau)}{1 - {\nu (\tau)}}\left( {\frac{\partial\sigma_{v}}{\partial\tau} - {{b(\tau)}\frac{\partial P}{\partial\tau}}} \right)d\; \tau}} + {\int_{0}^{\tau}{\frac{{E(\tau)}{\alpha (\tau)}}{1 - {\nu (\tau)}}\frac{\partial T}{\partial\tau}d\; \tau}}}$

The integrations of the above formula are integrations with respect of progressive increases of burial depth of the investigated layer from surface or seabed to current position at depth z₀. In other words, the above integrations are integrations with respect to time over the whole sedimentation history of the considered layer.

Such integration is a priori impossible to be resolved since neither detail geological evolution nor the associated poro-mechanical properties changes of the investigated layer over past millions years is known.

FIG. 1 is a flow chart 100 describing a possible embodiment of the present invention.

In order to determine the above formula of σ_(h), the well data 101 is sliced (step 102) into a plurality of layers having a constant or variable vertical depth increment. Each slice is identified by an ordered index i in {0, . . . , n}.

Once the well lithology data have been sliced, it is possible to determine for each slice i:

-   -   the Poisson's ratio ν^(i) (step103);     -   the mean pressure P^(i) (step104);     -   the vertical constraint σ_(ν) ^(i) (step105);     -   the Biot coefficient b^(i) (step106);     -   the Young's modulus E^(i) (step107);     -   the thermal expansion coefficient α^(i) (step109);     -   the mean temperature T^(i) (step 110).

These parameters may be considered as constant for each value of i.

Thus, for each slice i (starting with i=0 and incrementing the value of i by 1 at each iteration, i+1 denoting a slice immediately below the slice i), it is possible to compute (step 111):

$\sigma_{h}^{i} = {\sigma_{h}^{i - 1} + {b^{i}\left( {P^{i} - P^{i - 1}} \right)} + {\frac{\nu^{i}}{1 - \nu^{i}}\left( {\sigma_{v}^{i} - \sigma_{v}^{i - 1} - {b^{i}\left( {P^{i} - P^{i - 1}} \right)}} \right)} + {\frac{E^{i}\alpha^{i}}{1 - \nu^{i}}\left( {T^{i} - T^{i - 1}} \right)}}$

If the value σ_(h) ^(i-1) is not defined (i.e. i=0) then the value σ_(h) ^(i-1) is considered to be 0 (for onshore well and water pressure at sea bed for offshore well).

If there is at least one slice i not iterated (i.e. i<n, test 112, output OK), then the value of i is incremented and the step 111 is reiterated.

If all slices have been iterated (i.e. i+1>n, test 112, output KO), the computed value of the horizontal constraints σ_(h) ^(i) is outputted.

This “iterative integration” method assumes that the history of sedimentation and compaction of layer i at present-day at depth z can be represented numerically by the present-day's porosity and density evolution (vertical profiles) from seabed to depth z, even if there are lots of layers having different mineral composition compared to that of layer i.

This assumption is valid with accepted uncertainty for most offshore basins without radical changes of sedimentation environment over past millions years.

There is a fundamental difference between these two following equations:

$\sigma_{h} = {{bP} + {\frac{\nu}{1 - \nu}\left( {\sigma_{v} - {bP}} \right)} + {\frac{E\; \alpha}{1 - \nu}T}}$

$\sigma_{h}^{i} = {\sigma_{h}^{i - 1} + {b^{i}\left( {P^{i} - P^{i - 1}} \right)} + {\frac{\nu^{i}}{1 - \nu^{i}}\left( {\sigma_{v}^{i} - \sigma_{v}^{i - 1} - {b^{i}\left( {P^{i} - P^{i - 1}} \right)}} \right)} + {\frac{E^{i}\alpha^{i}}{1 - \nu^{i}}\left( {T^{i} - T^{i - 1}} \right)}}$

In the second equation, the poro-elastic properties E, b, ν and α of layer i have a limited impact on present-day horizontal stress, their influences on σ_(h) are proportional to the increment Δσ_(v), and ΔP, ΔT between two consecutive layers (numerical layers), while according to the first equation, the horizontal stress of layer i depends uniquely on present-day poro-elastic properties of layer i, so is independent to the stress in the layer just above it (layer i-1).

In steps 103 to 110, the elastic properties of formations may be computed with different methods according to geological context of the field:

-   -   Hashin-Shtrikman and Morri-Tanaka micro-macro approach for         normal consolidated formation,     -   Modified Cam-Clay for young and unconsolidated clay and         clay-sand formations,     -   Tandon-Weng (1984), and Ortega A. (2010) methods for hard         anisotropic shale formation (mother rock), for example gas(oil)         shale.

Nevertheless, it is possible to enhance the results of said method, by taking into account, for instance, the impact of porosity on elastic properties of rocks.

The impact of porosity on the elastic parameters of porous material may be represented by the following relationship between the bulk modulus of the porous rock (K_(b)), the pore compressibility (Kϕ) and the compressibility of mixed solid matrix K_(s) computed from micro-macro approach:

$\frac{1}{K_{b}} = {\frac{1}{K_{s}} + \frac{\varphi}{K_{\varphi}}}$

The parameter K_(ϕ) may be dependent on the modulus of the mineral fractions and the burial depth and the pore pressure.

Based on a set of experimental data, it has been determined the following relationship:

$K_{\varphi} = {K_{s}\frac{1 - {2\; \nu}}{1 - \nu}{\alpha \left( {\sigma_{v} - P} \right)}^{\beta}}$

Where α and β are two constants dependent of geological context and type of fluid, σ_(v), is the vertical stress, P is the pore pressure. Parameters α and β varies in the range 0.017˜0.02 and 0.45˜1.0 respectively according to the geological context.

Thus, by using the determined values in the above mentioned method, it is possible to enhance the determination of the elastic properties of rocks.

In order to determine the Young's modulus in step 103, it is possible to determine an empirical relationship of aspect ratio of clay mineral as function of mineral composition for computation of the anisotropy of elastic properties of shale.

The micro-macro approach (proposed by Tandon & Weng, 1984) deals with a problem of homogenization of disc-shaped spheroidal inclusions in a homogeneous and isotropic matrix.

Application of this method to shaly formation leads to compute the elastic properties parallel and perpendicular to bedding plane of the shale.

The ratio of Young's modulus parallel to the shale's bedding plane to that perpendicular to bedding is function of the aspect ratio of spheroidal inclusion (i.e. d/l), where d is the thickness and 1 is the diameter of spheroidal inclusion.

Based on various experimental data obtained on shale samples having different ranges of clay content and porosity, it has been determined that d and l are related according to an empirical relationship:

$\frac{d}{l} = {\lambda \left( \frac{\Phi}{\kappa \; V_{cl}} \right)}^{n}$

Where ϕ is the porosity; V_(cl) is clay content; λ, n and κ are three parameters varying respectively in the range of 0.05˜0.06 for λ, 2˜2.5 for n and 0.15 to 0.25 for κ, according to the geological context and applicable for clay content V_(cl) varying in the interval 0.05 to 0.5.

FIG. 2 is a possible embodiment for a device that enables the present invention.

In this embodiment, the device 200 comprises a computer, this computer comprising a memory 205 to store program instructions loadable into a circuit and adapted to cause circuit 204 to carry out the steps of the present invention when the program instructions are run by the circuit 204.

The memory 205 may also store data and useful information for carrying the steps of the present invention as described above.

The circuit 204 may be for instance:

-   -   a processor or a processing unit adapted to interpret         instructions in a computer language, the processor or the         processing unit may comprise, may be associated with or be         attached to a memory comprising the instructions, or     -   the association of a processor/processing unit and a memory, the         processor or the processing unit adapted to interpret         instructions in a computer language, the memory comprising said         instructions, or     -   an electronic card wherein the steps of the invention are         described within silicon, or     -   a programmable electronic chip such as a FPGA chip (for         «Field-Programmable Gate Array»).

This computer comprises an input interface 203 for the reception of data used for the above method according to the invention and an output interface 206 for providing a stacked model.

To ease the interaction with the computer, a screen 201 and a keyboard 202 may be provided and connected to the computer circuit 204.

Expressions such as “comprise”, “include”, “incorporate”, “contain”, “is” and “have” are to be construed in a non-exclusive manner when interpreting the description and its associated claims, namely construed to allow for other items or components which are not explicitly defined also to be present. Reference to the singular is also to be construed in be a reference to the plural and vice versa.

A person skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various parameters disclosed in the description may be modified and that various embodiments disclosed may be combined without departing from the scope of the invention. 

1. A method of determining a plurality of horizontal constraints in subsoil, wherein the method comprises: receiving well data of the subsoil; dividing the well data in a plurality of contiguous sets of data i, a set of data i being above a set of data i+1; for each set of data i in the plurality of sets of data, determining, based on the set of data i, at least parameters: P^(i), a pressure in subsoil corresponding to the set of data i; b^(i), a Biot coefficient corresponding to the set of data i; ν^(i), a Poisson's ratio corresponding to the set of data i; σ_(ν) ^(i), a vertical constraints in subsoil corresponding to the set of data i; E^(i), a Young's modulus corresponding to the set of data i; α^(i), thermal expansion coefficient corresponding to the set of data i; T^(i), a temperature in subsoil corresponding to the set of data i; for each set of data i in the plurality of sets of data, computing and outputting the horizontal constraints based on an equation: $\sigma_{h}^{i} = {\sigma_{h}^{i - 1} + {b^{i}\left( {P^{i} - P^{i - 1}} \right)} + {\frac{\nu^{i}}{1 - \nu^{i}}\left( {\sigma_{v}^{i} - \sigma_{v}^{i - 1} - {b^{i}\left( {P^{i} - P^{i - 1}} \right)}} \right)} + {\frac{E^{i}\alpha^{i}}{1 - \nu^{i}}{\left( {T^{i} - T^{i - 1}} \right).}}}$
 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the horizontal constraints are computed according to an ascending order of i.
 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the parameters comprises: receiving a porosity value Φ in subsoil corresponding to the set of data i, and a proportion of clay V_(cl) in subsoil corresponding to the set of data I: computing aspect ratio of clay mineral $\frac{d}{l} = {\lambda \left( \frac{\Phi}{\kappa \; V_{cl}} \right)}^{n}$ where λ, n and κ are three parameters.
 4. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, having stored thereon a computer program comprising program instructions, the computer program being loadable into a data-processing unit and adapted to cause the data-processing unit to carry out the steps of claim 1 when the computer program is run by the data-processing device. 